Since 2010, Robert Bryson Hall II, also known as Logic, has made a name for himself as one of the top up-and-coming rappers. Hailing from Germantown, MD, he is a 'half-breed' - a la Drake and J. Cole. Inevitably, he gets constant comparisons to the aforementioned MC's. In 2010, he released Young, Broke, and Infamous to positive reception. After releasing 'Young Sinatra' in 2011, which gave him another persona in hip-hop, he was respected but still compared to rappers for his race (compared to artists such as the previously mentioned Drake and J. Cole, as well as Eminem and Mac Miller). Despite his raw hip hop roots (Nas, A Tribe Called Quest, Wu Tang, Biggie, Big L, The Roots, Rakim, Common, Talib Kweli), he was mostly compared to modern rappers as opposed to the 90s lyricists that inspired him to rap.
Over the years, he’s been gradually broken into the hip hop community, and he has seen his audience increase. On Datpiff, the one-stop shop for mixtapes, his reception and numbers have increased over his first three mixtapes (the two previously mentioned and the critically acclaimed Young Sinatra: Undeniable). In 2013, he saw a breakthrough into commercial success. In March, it was announced he would be a part of the XXL Freshman cover. Not even a month later, he had not only announced the title and release date of his upcoming mixtape (May 7th; Young Sinatra: Welcome To Forever), he also signed to legendary label Def Jam. The half-breed rapper would be label mates with Nas, Kanye West, Method Man, and The Roots. His next album would be executively produced by hip hop giant No I.D., the same guy who has produced for Nas, Jay-Z, Kanye, and Eminem.
The mixtape was released to great reception.
1) Welcome To Forever ft. Jon Bellion (prod. 6ix)
Before he even starts rapping, you can tell this will be a raw track featuring undeniable lyrical ability and witty flow. Logic has done a great job of mixing up his material, from raw to commercial. The straight-forward sound of the opening piano sets the tone for Logic flowing, and he starts his almost counselor-like approach to this track. He gives inspirational messages about living life to the fullest as well as chasing dreams.
He reflects on how incredible it is to see himself on magazines like XXL, and websites like Datpiff, Rapgenius, and The Source. Towards the end of his first verse, he gives us hip hop heads hope in talking about Nas recognizing his talent. “Remember meeting Nas for the first time, said he a fan and he started quoting my lines?” It gives us possibly a glimpse into the future, now that they are on the same label. In his second verse, he’s “back again with another verse about how much he’s black again.” He sheds his “white rapper” label and being judged by the color of his skin. Overall, it’s a deep song with very positive messages, and it sets the tone for a great tape.
2) 925 (prod. by Swiff D)
One thing that can’t be said about Logic is that he isn’t diverse. The difference in sound from the first track and 925 is like night and day. Though they aren’t far off in terms of message, they couldn’t be more different musically. Clearly, 6ix and Swiff D have different production styles. Overall, Logic still brings his lyricism and flow for a good song.
Obviously, 925 and Welcome To Forever wouldn’t serve the same purpose. Welcome To Forever is a song that is made for those on the introspective side, while 925 could be perceived as a party/turn-up song. There’s a hook in the song that blatantly indicates the meaning behind the song: “f** a 9-to-5, I’m too alive for the real world.”
3) Roll Call
Released before the mixtape came out, Logic caught hip hop heads’ attention by sampling legendary “Ms. Jackson” by Outkast. One of the most distinguishable beats since the song first dropped in 2001, it’s not a beat you’d expect Logic to rap over, but his flow and lyricism make him a fit for nearly any beat. He raps, as usual, about how his work ethic have allowed him to get what he always dreamed of, and that the listener could learn from him. While it sounds cocky, it’s true.
The song contains no hook, with Logic’s flow never slowing down throughout. The song was released just after signing a major-label deal, but he ensured the Rattpack (his fanbase) that he is “never Hollywood, grounded like a cup of Folgers.” He raps about his race, the come up, making it, and being authentic. Content-wise, it’s nothing out of the ordinary for Logic, but rapping over Ms. Jackson is something any rap fan would love to hear, and his flow is relentless.
4) 5 AM (prod. by C-Sick)
Produced by the same mind behind Walk On By, Logic teased this song during a Just Another Day episode. He previewed the first verse, but on the mixtape, adds another verse. He starts to rap about his adolescence, when he was surrounded by cocaine, guns, violence, and crime. He also says that the money he makes off of rapping (which will soon be a lot, as if it wasn’t already) will go back into the people who have been there for him the whole way.
The second verse is more consistent, with steady wordplay and double entendres. While most people are filled with racism, Logic claims his “flow is colorblind” and he raps “for the hell of it.” While the instrumental sounds very mainstream at first glance, Logic again appeals to both old school and new school, with new school production and old school bars.
5) Break It Down ft. Jhene Aiko (prod. by C-Sick)
Obviously a club song, Logic’s voice sounds deeper and his tone sounds less...raw. Perhaps an overused term in the grand scheme of rap, it has a mainstream sound with relatively complex rhyme scheme and a radio-friendly hook. Like most Logic songs, it’s a good mix of the raw influences that got him this far as well as homage to the modern radio-friendly music that has also helped him get to where he is today.
His second verse is his best one, as he raps about not wanting to be a 15-minute man, and wanting to stick around in rap for a long time, not just a one-hit wonder XXL Freshman who faded away. He promotes his work ethic by claiming he’s always in the studio (which he is). He’s come this far, and there’s nothing to stop him from climbing even farther up to the totem pole in the music industry.
6) Feel Good
The title for this song represents what this song sounds like. It’s a feel-good song. It makes you envision life and progress and evolution as we know it. Logic uses Kanye West’s “G.O.O.D. Friday”, and Kid Cudi singing the chorus. While it’s not a Logic original, it sounds like a song Logic and his V.M.G. team could have produced. It has that diverse, not-too-committed-to-one-subgenre sound. As usual, Logic raps about his days of being broke and the fact that those days are over.
In his second verse, he talks about days when he had a girl, and how she burned him and it still hurts him today, but that it’s irrelevant to him. The song contains relateable themes of love and confusion in adolescence, as well as a feel-good sound and tight flow. Logic brings it again.
7) Saturday (skit)
Meant to illustrate his home life during the days when Logic started working towards his dreams of being a rapper, the skit features the recognizable John Witherspoon. As a listener, it gives us comedic relief from the intense, sped-up flow of Logic on lyrical tracks as well as commercial ones. It’s a funny skit to listen to, unlike most.
8) On The Low ft. Kid Ink & Trinidad James (prod. by Swiff D)
From just looking at who is featured on this record, you can tell it has a southern/trill/hardcore rap sound. Trinidad and Kid Ink are known for creating fun, turn-up records. There is no way this song sounds anything like Roll Call or tracks we haven’t even gotten to, like Nasty, Just a Man or Common Logic. Logic sets the pace with the first verse. Despite it being a trill-sounding song, Logic has a solid verse. Kid Ink follows with a flop, while Trinidad James (for some reason) finishes the song with a complete flop.
Overall, it’s not a repeatable song, but it includes a solid verse from Logic. It goes to show that while he doesn’t sacrifice his skill in diversifying sounds, many rappers do, like Trinidad and Kid Ink.
9) Walk On By (prod. by C-Sick)
The first track to be released, back in February, Walk On By even included a music video. Clearly, Logic and Visionary Music Group were under the belief that Walk On By had potential to catch on with his fanbase and help him reach an even larger audience, and that it did. Logic displayed his usual stream-of-consciousness rhymes, witty wordplay, and sped-up flow.
He’s relentless with his rhymes, and the release set the pace for a good part of the sound of the mixtape.
10) The Come Up (prod. by 6ix)
Before the song starts, he samples a Kid Cudi interview in which he basically says that material things are irrelevant and shouldn’t define your music. Obviously, that’s a school of thought Logic has enrolled to and the lessons he has taught us are well documented. Logic raps about the fact that he will maintain his authenticity despite his economic well-standing, as well as not suckering into the drug-dealing and violence he was surrounded by in his youth.
Logic’s verses are relatively weak compared to what we’ve grown accustomed to from him, but it’s obviously not a record Logic made with that in mind. It’s a fun song to listen to with a good hook, mainstream sound, and sharp, not outstanding, lyricism.
11) Nasty (prod. by Don Cannon)
What better way to open the second half of a great mixtape than Logic rapping over a Don Cannon-produced track? Logic continues to rap about the same themes as he did throughout Undeniable, and the first half of this tape, but he brings the same flow and wit that has and will continue to win over listeners. Nasty is basically a calling to the hip hop heads demographic to believe that he can lead the second renaissance of the Golden Age.
Judging from the lyricism and production from this song and others in the tape, I’d say it’s easy to believe a statement, bold as it may be. Speaking of bold statements, in his third verse, he compares his team (Visionary) to Jay-Z and Dame Dash’s team, Roc-a-Fella, and says Visionary is The Roc, reincarnated. One of Logic’s best songs.
12) Life Is Good (prod. by Key Wane)
Having made it and joining the same label as Nas, it’s only right that he has a track called Life Is Good. While I doubt it’s of any correlation, Nas’ last album was called the same. He assures his fans that he loves them even if he doesn’t always reply to their tweets, and reminisces (surprise surprise) about days of being broke in Maryland, and being all the more glad about living with his friends in California.
In his second verse, he speeds up his flow and almost teases us with his usual super-sped up flow, despite this being a clearly commercial record. Towards the end of the verse, he sheds the pop-sound of the beginning of the song and breaks into his own pure rap sound. And after a few lines, reverts to a poppy hook. It’s almost like a tail of two songs. Much like his race, his songs have more than one angle.
13) Randolph Returns (skit)
Anyone familiar with Logic knows that he has a sense of humor. In all four of his mixtapes, he’s had a skit mocking a fictitious “Marty Randolph.” Marty represents all that Logic believes to be wrong with music industry corporate types - wanting to squeeze money out of the artist, and in essence, squeezing the wallet out of the artist, instead of what needs to be pulled out - the artist’s individuality.
This skit is more brutal and obscene and hilarious than previous skits, and it ending with devastated, desperate Marty getting hung up on by one of Visionary’s female workers.
14) Ballin’ ft. Castro (prod. by Arthur McArthur)
Probably the most commercial record Logic has done in his career, so it may surprise some to see Castro, who has appeared throughout Logic’s career and established himself as an MC who can match Logic bar-for-bar. With a trap beat, some may click the ‘next’ button before listening to both these guys rap. Logic sets the tone with a verse and witty wordplay about his newfound economic comfort but still remaining real: “got a little change but I’m still the same.” His second verse is even more dynamic, and acknowledging that he wants to make feel-good, clubbing music, but his flow is still “appalling.”
When Castro jumps on the track, he starts out with Twista-like speed, and slows it down to normal speed, only to speed up later on the track. Though his lyrical content is more materialistic than we’re used to in tracks like No Biggie and Back and Forth, Castro (as well as Logic) still rip verses to pieces just as hard as they always have - maybe mor. Understandably, this track might receive some negative feedback from the older generation of rap fans, but after a few listens you start to stop noticing the trap beat and start noticing the talent on top of it.
15) Young Jedi ft. Dizzy Wright (prod. 6ix)
6ix really made a name for himself as one of the most consistent producers with this mixtape, if he hadn’t alreadỵ. He produced the title track, The Come Up, and this track, all three very consistent tracks. On this track, Logic features fellow XXL freshman Dizzy Wright. Knowing their lyrical content, you can tell this song will feature themes of working, the grind, and in Dizzy’s case, weed.
Featuring a classic, chilled-out beat, Logic’s flow perfectly matches the texture of the instrumental but manages to speed it up and still make it work. His lyrical content is nothing out of the ordinary, and sheds light on the fact that now that he’s successful, people who don’t truly care try to get things out of him for selfish purposes. Dizzy Wright hops on the track and delivers a Dizzy verse not up to par to his usual, but that’s not a terrible injustice to the song. Logic’s second verse caps the song with a bang.
16) The High Life ft. Elijah Blake (prod. by Kevin Randolph)
For someone who doesn’t smoke, Logic makes plenty references to weed, which he does as a way of referencing his pothead past as well as relating to the (likely) large demographic of his fanbase that do smoke. While the song is called The High Life, nothing in the song directly relates to marijuana, or any drug. Sampling Over My Dead Body by Drake, he raps about the fact that he’s now partying with the legends he grew up idolizing, and that it doesn’t quite register for him.
Setting his priorities straight, he says beautiful girls “ain’t good for nothin’ except procrastinating.” The depth of his lyrics reaches new heights when he says “we all sleep, but we have different dreams.” His perceptions on life are on another level, and he does a great job of mixing old-school and new-school in this song, as he does in Life Is Good. After ripping the track to shreds for nearly four minutes, soul singer Elijah Blake sings as a nice change of pace. A good song that will almost teach you about life.
17) Common Logic/Midnight Marauder (prod. by C-Sick & Logic)
This song contains two songs: Common Logic, produced by C-Sick and Midnight Marauder, produced by Logic himself. Common Logic starts with a sample of a viral video in which a mother is bickering at a son for constantly playing guitar and contributing nothing to society. Ironically, it’s an obvious protest against parents thinking children can’t make something out of themselves in music. The sample ends, the beat drops, and Logic rips just as hard as he has throughout the mixtape. His flow is hard to keep up with and his rhymes have multiple meanings. So, it is common logic.
The second track, produced by Logic, pays tribute to his fans as well as the music that he and his fans share a love for: “from Nasty Nas, Big L, to Tribe Called Quest,” and says the Rattpack will be the next crew to blow up in hip hop. Lyrically, Midnight Marauder isn’t as intense as Common Logic, but the message remains relevant, as he sheds light and shows his artistic awareness. He knows that some fans won’t love everything he makes, but accepts that his diversity in music is consistent with the diversity of his background.
18) Just a Man (prod. by Kevin Randolph)
The deepest, most introspective record on the tape, Just a Man breaks through barriers. Almost like a diary entry without any proofreading, Logic admits he struggles with women and how seriously he sees one woman or another. He claims to not understand why racism exists even though he is black and white. A part of the hok tells the premise of the song: “I ain’t perfect ’m just a man.”
Anyone who has ever felt pressured by expectations can relate to a song like this that basically says: “I’m not perfect, but I’ll do everything I can.” His lyrics are deep and obviously told with a great sense of passion and purpose. His wordplay is consistent throughout the song: “to hell with a Plan B, motherf***er, I ain’t KIĐdin.” He buries the notion that money is the root of happiness and questions how worth it life really is. Listening to Just a Man will make you reflect on life.
19) Man of The Year (prod. by No I.D.)
Produced by the legend who will produce Logic’s debut album, this track could give us a glimpse to the future. Listening to it, I wouldn’t expect this sound to continue to the album with any type of consistency. It has the mainstream sound that Logic sometimes associates himself with, but I wouldn’t expect Logic to make mostly mainstream tracks like this one.
Logic raps about his usual rags-to-riches themes, as well as throwing in some lines about being mortal instead of “perfect”, as some of his fans would say he is. His flow, to me, echoes Kid Cudi in this song. Those generally against this song should still give this a try. He swaps mainstream and raw sounds throughout the track and his rhymes are still on point.
20) The End (prod. by Kevin Randolph & C-Sick)
We have reached the end of a classic mixtape. It starts with a surprise - the sample. It’s Adele, singing over the recognizable Skyfall Theme. After an enticing intro, Logic starts rapping and only has one verse in the song, but he doesn’t even need more than that to set the tone and send the listener off having heard a great mixtape.
Logic brought it. Despite switching up his sound a little, he still insists on keeping his flow and lyricism sharp. It might not have the raw sound of Undeniable or Young Sinatra, but his lyricism and flow are probably even better than in previous projects, and the production is much better, which definitely compensates for its sound being different.
